What happens to the value of a bass?

[ao'connor17]

Over the years, does it go up or down? How much does it de/increase? Do extensions, scratches, and repairs effect the value too?
Andrew

[Marcus Johnson]

Depends on the bass, and the "repairs" performed on it.

[D McCartney]

Since you did not specify market value, I will address the value to me.
I bought a CCB 4 years ago, shortly afterwards it lost all value for me, don't even want to sell it to someone else. It just sits there. So in every sense it lost value.

3 years ago I bought a ply NS Cleveland. I have played it since. Not sure what the resale value is on it now, don't care. It has increased in value to me and I would not sell it for what they go for new. The dings and sratches are honest and well earned. If others feel the same way about their quality basses, then I would think the chances are good their value will increase over time.

[ao'connor17]

Well, i have a christopher 400 series flatback, with kc strings b extension. I haven't had any repairs done, and all the dings and scratches are from it being shipped and from it being moved around (orchestra every weekend, lessons once a week, gigs etc). To me, i wouldn't sell it, i'm just curious how big of a hunk of cash (or wood) am I playing?

[Barron]

Asian import basses lose about 1/2 retail value as soon as you drive them off the lot. No matter how pretty or fully carved they are.

[shadygrove]

Originally Posted by Barron

Asian import basses lose about 1/2 retail value as soon as you drive them off the lot. No matter how pretty or fully carved they are.

I disagree with this statement if the asian bass is a quality product along the lines of a Christopher, Shen, etc...

Now if by an asian import bass you are talking a $500 E-bay special you are more likely to have D McCartney's experience.. a bass that is no fun to play and/or difficult to sell for what you paid.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by ao'connor17

Over the years, does it go up or down? How much does it de/increase? Do extensions, scratches, and repairs effect the value too?
Andrew

Andrew... to save time and bandwidth, maybe you should talk about a specific bass.

[Barron]

Originally Posted by shadygrove

I disagree with this statement if the asian bass is a quality product along the lines of a Christopher, Shen, etc...

Now if by an asian import bass you are talking a $500 E-bay special you are more likely to have D McCartney's experience.. a bass that is no fun to play and/or difficult to sell for what you paid.

No, I specifically mean the nicer basses. They simply do not hold their retail value.

I play a nice Asian hybrid. It's priceless to me, because I need it to do my work. But I got a fair price for it because that's the way the market is.

I don't care how pretty they are, or how nice they play, they are not investment worthy instruments. They will drop in value as soon as you walk out of the shop. If you have evidence to the contrary, I would love to see it. It would make for an interesting anecdotal argument when the day comes for me to trade my wonderful Asian bass for an old European one.

Again, to be clear, I'm not saying you will walk out with junk. I'm saying that, as a fact, you will lose half your money (or more) if you turn around and try to re-sell that bass looking to get what you paid for it after it becomes "used". One factor is that they are not rare. The other is the percieved better pedigree of European (German, French, Italian) Luthiers. Mittel Europa falls somewhere in the middle.

[Uncletoad]

Old basses generally appreciate across time. By that I mean fully carved stuff that was made in Europe or America mid 20th Century or before. 19th Century or before instruments tend to appreciate more over time than 20th Century instruments. Modern independent builders can appreciate as well though that is very dependent on the builder's reputation.

Asian instruments have yet to show appreciation as a class of instruments although I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually do. There are always exceptions to these generalizations.

Modifications or repairs like neck grafts, new bridges, fingerboards etc. rarely negatively affect values if they are done well. Extensions that cut the scroll can have a negative effect or any modifications that drastically change the builder's intent. Scratches and repairs are irrelevant in old basses assuming the repairs are done reasonably well.

Replaced Scrolls or Tops can seriously depreciate an instrument, as can a back or side to a slightly lesser degree, however that's usually not done unless the damage is so extensive that the value of the original part is gone already. Complete refinishing can reduce resale values as well although it is a controversial subject. Regardless originality is not as important as it is in the Guitar Market.

Kay basses and American Standard basses have slightly more stringent value rules than 100 year old basses do. They are much closer to the vintage guitar market in nature.

The instruments made in the last 50 years that are generic or student level instruments show little tendency towards appreciation and their values while condition dependent to some degree are more individually driven and show no clear market trends beyond being hard to sell when you are ready to move up.

If you are buying an instrument for it's future appreciation considerations it's best to take a 10 year view rather than a short term view. Buying newer or Asian instruments at new prices will most certainly be hard to resell within 5 to 10 years for what you have in it. Exceptions being for instruments made by builders with reputations like Hatchez.

Perhaps someone with more extensive experience in these areas could speak more accurately about these details, I'm not an expert on Bass Values at all.

[Barron]

Nail. Head. You hit it. On the one.

Great pocket.

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Old basses generally appreciate across time. ...[snip]...If you are buying an instrument for it's future appreciation considerations it's best to take a 10 year view rather than a short term view. Buying newer or Asian instruments at new prices will most certainly be hard to resell within 5 to 10 years for what you have in it. Exceptions being for instruments made by builders with reputations like Hatchez.

[bribass]

Don't you wish Ken Smith was here for this one?

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by bribass

Don't you wish Ken Smith was her for this one?

Uhhhh... I like Ken, but not that much.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by bribass

Don't you wish Ken Smith was her for this one?

Ken's pretty butch. I doubt he'd ever want to be her.

[Ed Fuqua]

Talking with Sam over at Gage's; his take is that the bass that sells is the one that sounds best in the price range you're looking. If the shop has a bunch of things at $8K, the one that actually GETS $8K sounds better than all the other $8K basses. Likewise $20K or $120K.

[BigOldHarry]

new basses rarely appreciate unless they are a name that holds value, like Fender - and in Fender's case, some basses that really should NOT appreciated have done so.

That said - always buy used - ALWAYS. If you buy a decent bass used, you can always sell it for around what you paid for it. Buy ANYTHING new and you're screwed (value wise) for years. There are much wiser minds than mine on this subject here on TB, but it looks like 20 years is the tipping point for Fenders, meaning anything more than 20 years old is worth more now than when bought... So it seems like the best axe to buy (if appreciation is a concern) would be a Fender from the early 90's. Soon they'll be "collectible", if you get me.

Other brands have done a bit of this too (gibson/Rick) and some makers really hold their value (Lakland/Sadowsky/Fodera/Smith/MTD) but some great basses do not appear to hold value at all - - Zon, Pedulla, Roscoe - - Who knows why? I love my Zon and my Roscoe, but I bought them both used - and I expect I'll buy the Pedulla pentabuzz I am aching for used.

[Ed Fuqua]

Look everyone! Sparky is LOST. Sparky doesn't know where he is. Everyone, point and laugh!

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Look everyone! Sparky is LOST. Sparky doesn't know where he is. Everyone, point and laugh!

Whew! Glad you caught that. I was on my way out the door to get a Fender!

[Jsn]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Look everyone! Sparky is LOST. Sparky doesn't know where he is. Everyone, point and laugh!

Well, I don't want to laugh AT him. But I do find myself cracking a smile over how dang often this happens.

How come? I mean, I can't recall ever finding myself in the middle of the slab forums by accident. Even if I did, I can't visualize the circumstances under which I'd be compelled to post on a topic, without noticing that hey, I'm not in Kansas anymore.

Any theories? Have we discovered a vortex in the time-space continuum, right here on TalkBass?

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Jsn

Any theories? Have we discovered a vortex in the time-space continuum, right here on TalkBass?

Yes. There is a gaping crack in the Moronosphere.

[Ed Fuqua]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Yes. There is a gaping crack in the Moronosphere.

You a Funny Man.